The Power To Change
by MrBamforth
Summary: My take on the old time travel story. As Harry is consumed by his guilt from being too cowardly to sacrifice himself, Harry realises that perhaps he will have to do some rather questionable things to beat the most powerful wizard of all time. TimeTravel, GreyHarry, HHr, Ronbashing - will later be rated M for a reason.
1. Prologue

****Chapter 1: Prologue****

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Disclaimer – I do not own anything regarding Harry Potter or any of the characters, though I wish I did, it would be friggin awesome

The rain hammered down from the stormy night sky over Hogwarts Castle, Harry Potter felt the thick droplets hit the frames of his glasses as he stepped out onto the roof garden of the Astronomy Tower. Reaching up with a sigh, he wiped them slowly and walked to the edge of the railing staring at the ground beneath, thinking hard. Today was his birthday, and by the time he was nineteen years old Harry had lost not only parents, but his Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, his best friends, in fact, Harry had lost just about anybody and everybody that he had ever cared about. Of course this hadn't been the way that Dumbledore had planned it, but then again, Dumbledore had thought that Harry could willingly sacrifice his life to get rid of the Horcrux that was in his scar. Now Harry Potter felt nothing but guilt, a sticky black hand of shame for his cowardice was wrapped around his heart. The one called Lord Voldemort was still alive, the world was in peril and everyone he knew bar Professor McGonagall was dead. Even she hadn't been seen for months so she might as well have been.

He had never even found true love. That brief fling with Ginny had only cemented the fact that he only really saw her as a sisterly figure anyway – she looked so much like his mother that he found it totally creepy in the first place that he had ever actually fancied her. She had been with Dean when she had died, after just announcing that she was pregnant with their child. Guilt swam over Harry once more as the rain buffeted his hair and face. The thought of Ginny's fiery red hair only brought his thoughts to the young man who had been his best friend. Ronald Weasley, had gone swanning off with Lavender Brown and broken Hermione's heart, or it had seemed that way until him and Hermione finally confronted each other one night at the Burrow.. It had taken only 3 weeks for Ron realise he had made the wrong decision to choose Lavender over Hermione, and jealousy overtook him. Coming to the conclusion that Harry and Hermione were in fact together he was consumed with a terrible rage. In turn, his Pureblood status, and newfound hatred for Harry had turned him into a Death Eater. It was the worst night Harry's life when had been forced to kill his first real friend. But then with the murder of not only Hermione, but Neville as well, Harry would never have been able to forgive him.

Harry could now never have a family, he had never truly been in love and the girl who he had finally seen a spark with had been killed by the man who was supposed to have been his best friend. With a quick look at the door back down from the astronomy tower, Harry centred his body, turned around, and stepped backwards from the edge.


	2. The Man with a Squishy Armchair

****Chapter 2: The Man with a Squishy Armchair -****

 ** **DISCLAIMER - I own nothing to with Harry Potter and related characters etcetera.****

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Chapter 2 – The Man with a Squishy Armchair

Harry landed on the red leather squishy armchair with a thud. Trying to recover from the debilitating sensation brain rattling around in his skull, he tried and slowly began to focus on his surroundings. It was completely white, with a small plastic chair parked directly in front of him, also white. There was no shadow, and so it was almost as the chair by itself was floating, its polished chrome legs reflecting sharply in every direction. Craning his neck for any sign of well...anything, Harry started as there was a burst heat to the right of his neck and a glorious white Phoenix roared into existence in front of him. Perching on the edge of the chair, it released a small roll of parchment warpped in a beautiful golden ribbon, which fell with a light tap onto the plastic seat. And then, almost as fast as it had appeared, the Phoenix disappeared again in another searing flash of fire. Harry didn't know what to think, had he tried to kill himself, then? The silence in this place was deafening, and the flash of the Phoenix in and out of the space had felt like it had both bloomed and sucked out all of the remaining colour, all at once. Harry swore he heard a door creak open, and with a pop, a rich mahogany desk suddenly existed in front of him, but he somehow didn't notice the man slowly sit down in front of him until he heard that same door close with a small thunk.

The first thought that came into Harry's head was that he thought he looked an awful lot like Uncle Vernon, except for the man's lack of a big, bushy moustache and generally bumbling, nervous demeanour. He had the same hair, the same, beady eyes, and even the same neckline, but it was obviously that they were different people by the disciplined, well postured way by which this person held himself. Nevertheless, the likeness was uncanny, in fact :-

"You look just like my..." Harry started.

"Your Uncle Vernon?" the man cut-in gruffly, "I _know,_ I've had the piss taken out of me about that for years, please don't mention it again." Harry sat up sharply, taken slightly aback by the authority and sharpness of his new companion's tone of voice.

The man banged a large pristine white briefcase on his desk, clicked open a set of thick, polished brass locks, lifted the lid and began to rummage around inside it. It was the only thing to be heard in the almost complete silence, the rustling and shuffling of papers from inside the briefcase seemed almost deafening to Harry, who felt his heart beating steadily in his chest.

"Am I NOT dead, then?" he thought.

Harry saw him finally take out a rather thick, battered looking file which was covered in colour coded tabs and notes. He closed the lid on the white briefcase, locked it, and placed it on the floor beside him. For a while, or it could have been no time at all. the man sat reading the file in complete silence. Harry saw that his name was written on it in big black letters, next to a bright red stamp that said "CLASSIFIED" and "SB" stamped repeatedly over and over on the cover like someone was trying desperately to get the idea across. Harry had no idea what "SB" meant at all, but they sat there in what felt to Harry like an extremely awkward silence. After another a minute or two, the man put the file down on his desk and leant forward slowly and began to talk, taking his time between every word, as if trying to enunciate each one just right. The strange accent sounded like someone foreign trying very hard to speak what should sound like "The Queen's English"..

"Hello, Mister Potter. My name is Jeff, and I am your fairy godmother. I moved for us to be able to use "godfather" but it apparently it makes us sound too much like Italian mobsters. You have been causing me a lot of problems, Mister Potter." The man stopped again, seemingly trying to weight his words. He certainly did not look like a fairy, and Harry felt that this man definitely wasn't telling the full truth about his identity. There was certainly something off about him.

"You did not complete your soul bond with a Miss Hermione Granger. You did not defeat the Dark Lord because of this and therefore you have nearly cost me a job. So because of this I am sending you back in time to restart your Hogwarts career. Yes, you have no choice. Yes you must use some more questionable spells, and yes the Horcrux in your head is gone. Any questions?" With only a moment's pause, Jeff said "Right then, I'll see you in your head later, off you go," and the man pulled on what seemed like a long toilet chain that Harry hadn't noticed had been dangling down from the ceiling. Suddenly, Harry started to spin around very fast, and begin to spin what felt like lower and lower in the neverending white expanse all around him as he felt wind push and flap is hair in all directions. Faster and faster he spun and sank, until the and he almost thought he was about to throw up when he was suddenly woken up a jolt.

"BOOM!"


	3. Toads and Trouble

**Disclaimer - As usual, I own nothing related. :)**

 **Chapter 3: Toads and Trouble**

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"BOOM" sounded again. Harry tried to figure out exactly where he was without moving his head. The sound _was_ familiar. In his mind he saw flashbacks of one particular fight in the early days of the previous war, when Dumbledore's Army had unknowingly Portkeyed into an ambush. A whole building had been collapsed on top of them by a particularly cunning Death Eater. Opening his eyes just a fraction, he heaved a sigh of relief. Looking around him, he saw the dingy inside of the hut that he and the Dursleys had stayed in before his first year at Hogwarts.

" _It's my eleventh birthday,"_ he thought " _But seriously, that would mean…"_

"Where's the cannon?" Dudley said stupidly. Harry looked down at his hands, not used to seeing his now 11 year old self at a time where he had barely started developing. They seemed tiny to him. This whole thing was really weird. It was as if he was the one inside one of his old Pensieve memories; he had taken to watching them over and over in the days following the Battle of Hogwarts. Weird. With one final "BOOM" the huge wooden hut door came crashing down onto badly placed stone slabs, leaving a mass of dust and wood chips swirling in its wake Of course, Vernon and Petunia Dursley came skidding into the room, Harry's Uncle once again holding a long rifle.

"Sorry about tha'." Hagrid said, gruffly. Harry beamed at the man who was his first friend. The boy steeled himself, it was hard for Harry to keep himself from welling up, the last time he had seen Hagrid was in an open casket at his funeral. He and his friends had struggled to carry it onto the pyre, after Harry had insisted the "old-fashioned" way. But they had got there, in the end.

"I demand that you leave at once Sir, you are breaking and entering." Vernon snapped, his face as brightly coloured as a beetroot. Harry didn't know whether this was from fear or anger, probably both. He smirked as he thought to ask his Uncle whether he was trying a new ointment for his skin, because beetroot was really in this season, but quickly thought against it. He didn't really want a repeat of last time, especially as Hagrid hadn't yet bent the end the rifle that Mr Dursley still gripped tightly, all white knuckles and trembling. Even though his going to Hogwarts was the main cause for their hatred, Harry felt that Dudley's new pig tail - due to arrive at any moment, was what had cemented Vernon's hatred of him and all things magical. Perhaps, he might be able to stop getting bars on his windows in the future.

"Hagrid!" Harry said, running up to his friend and hugging him tightly around the middle.

With wide eyes and a lilt in his voice, the half-giant boomed "How d'ya know me name? I knew these Dursleys were gonna to tell yer a few things, but... yer know me name?"

Mr and Mrs. Dursley were looking at each other confusedly.

"How… uh...We didn't tell you anything!" Vernon said, breathily.

"What?!" Hagrid roared in shock, anger rising while he widened his stance, seeming like he was beginning to fill the whole hut with his ginormous frame.

"I've been talking to someone," Harry said quickly, trying to diffuse the tension "A…a... friend. Come on Hagrid, let's get to the Leaky Cauldron, I don't fancy staying here tonight."

"You _aren't_ going anywhere." Vernon growled, eyeing Harry suspiciously. Thunder clapped hard, outside as if to illustrate his point. "Not until you tell me how you knew you were a _freak_!"

"Hagrid lets go!" Harry pleaded, wanting to get away from the dingy little hut as fast as he could. He didn't want to draw the gamekeepers ire and cause another scene.

"Wait just one second 'Arry." Hagrid said.

"No, come on, I'll tell you why later."

Hagrid gave Harry one of his usual sideways glances, except somewhere this one seemed to be measuring him up. Hagrid thought that somehow, he had eyes that had already seen far too much.

" _He couldn't remember his parents' death? Could he?"_ He thought as Harry led him by the arm outside to the boat that was tied to the jetty. The Dursleys came stumbling after them across the rocks, but Harry had already pulled the chain on the speedboat, and they managed to make their getaway. Shouting over the roaring wind on the magically speedy boat journey to the mainland Harry told Hagrid that he knew all about Hogwarts and how Hagrid himself had rescued him from talking to Arabella Figg, the squib, but that the Dursleys had told him that his parents had died in a car crash. He'd had to beg Hagrid to not turn back towards the hut so he could give the Dursleys "a piece of my mind".

They stopped the night in room number 11 of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry laughed at the way that Hagrid had to have two double beds placed end to end in order to accommodate his large frame.

He'd thought, or rather hoped that he'd manage to avoid all the attention he had received previously due their early arrival the night before, but the next morning found Harry yet again having to shake hands with just about everyone in the pub. Professor Quirrell had yet to arrive, and Harry felt bitterly disappointed. Perhaps he would have been able to have a quiet first year at Hogwarts hunting down Horcruxes if he had managed to corner or ambush his first year Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher in the bathroom and wrap his hands around his face. But then…

" _What if he's already been and left_?" Harry thought with panic, blood draining from his face. Feeling nervous, Harry insisted that they started their day, immediately feigning excitement by bouncing up and down on his stool with huge fake smile plastered on his face. Hagrid still hadn't finished his breakfast, but the soft-hearted man relented, before stuffing full eight rashers of his bacon into his mouth and getting to his feet. Harry beamed, and looped his friend by one arm as they strolled into the alley way, Hagrid dropping a few coins on the bar counter for Tom as they went past.

" _It won't be long til we've got it, and I can relax a bit_." Harry thought, trying to calm his anxiety. He _really_ didn't need the Philosopher's Stone to actually be stolen from Gringotts this time around.

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As Harry pushed his trolley through King's Cross station on September the First, he suddenly realised who would be nearby. His hands began to shake with fury at the thought of Ron's betrayal while he gripped tightly to his trolley. He kept telling himself, regardless of who he is now that his friend would inevitably turn into that monster. Even though his conscience told him that Ron was just a kid at this stage, he just couldn't shake away the suspicious feeling, the part-hatred, part-fear that was welling up inside him.

"What's the platform number?" a voice called from Mrs Weasley, whose redheaded clan was shuffling along behind her. The tiny Ginny, already tugging at her mother's sleeve was already begging his mother to join her brothers at the castle. Harry ignored the duo with distaste.

" _Honestly, how many children had she sent to Hogwarts? She had even been herself. Of_ _course_ _she would have known the platform_." Harry thought, bitterly It was in Harry's final year that he had realised that Mrs Weasley had been put up to this by none other than Albus Dumbledore himself. His opinion of his former and now present headmaster had matured over the years, the grandfatherly feeling had morphed into something of a suspicious reverence. Harry knew that the elder wizard had _meant_ well, and was a good man for the most part, but Harry certainly didn't agree with all of his "For the greater good", pawn-sacrificing, Light-sided dogma. But this time Harry already knew how to get onto the Hogwarts Express, and so walked through the barrier without another thought for the Weasleys. As for Dumbledore? Well he figured he definitely needed more time to think up a plan or two before challenging or simply disobeying his former friend and mentor anyway.

Setting himself up in his usual carriage and compartment, Harry's breath caught as Ron slid open the door and parked himself down in front of him, completely oblivious to the blanked out glare that Harry was giving him.

"Do you mind if I sit in here?" he said, rubbing his palms on his slightly too short navy trousers "Everywhere else is full." Harry of course knew that due to magical expansion, this certainly wasnt the case, but before Harry could deny him, Harry heard a authoritative, militant voice in his head sound as if it was coming from inside him.

 **"Harry, in order to do what you-er-need to do, you need to try and make friends with Ron. I know what he did. But you can change it. Just think, what if he never fell in love with Hermione."**

Groaning inwardly at this news, and slightly annoyed that Jeff the "Fairy Godmother" could invade his personal thoughts quite so easily, Harry reluctantly said "No, its fine" and even managed a slightly shaky smile.

Harry tried to keep things as usual on the train, even letting Ron see his scar, but felt even more uncomfortable than before, seeing as though he had already gone through his whole previous life with so many people gawking at him already. He even bought all the sweets again from the lady with the trolley, but he didn't offer any to Ron until he'd seen he'd eat both of his corned beef sandwiches. " _Ron hates corned beef"_ he thought with a smirk, but his passive aggressive thoughts waned instantly a moment later when the compartment door slid open again.

He couldn't stop smiling a fully smiling, toothy grin when Hermione Granger walked in moments later.

"Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one." Hermione said, snootily. Briefly wondering what it would take to stop that know-it-all attitude that didn't involve getting trapped in the bathroom by a mountain troll, Harry said -.

"No we haven't, sorry." trying to look sympathetic.

"Hold on a second, you're Harry Potter! I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?" she said, looking first at Harry and then down her nose at Ron, who was rather disgustingly gorging himself with a pumpkin pasty in both hands, taking a bite from one, and then the other. He made it look like he'd never eaten anything in his life.

"Rrn Wslee." He said, pastry crumbing in from with mouth and onto his jumper. Hermione looked on at him the disgust.

"Pleasure," she said sarcastically "You two better change into your robes, I expect we'll be arriving soon." She left, abruptly, with Harry instantly feeling disheartened.

As fast as he could, Harry snapped open his trunk, changed into his robes around a still-eating Ron, and raced out of the compartment and down the train to find where Hermione was sitting, leaving the ginger boy sputtering at him as he left. Harry knew he couldn't suffer in the compartment with Ron any longer, but he would at least be civil to him in future. Eventually, he found where _she_ was sitting, and stood outside the frosted glass, looking up and down the train corridor. Drawing his wand quietly and looking around for any watchful eyes, he cast a wordless summoning charm and moments later a large, grey horny toad found itself flying towards Harry's outstretched palm.

Harry slid open the compartment door and found himself being immediately thanked profusely by Neville Longbottom. As fantastic as it was to see his former friend again, Harry wasn't used to this bumbling and nervous Neville anymore, not when he had seen him grow up so quickly into someone with such confidence after that night at the Department of Mysteries. Still, he joined them in the compartment, and tried his best to make friends with the boy. Harry made a silent vow to himself that he would help Neville grow into that person a lot quicker this time around.

Thanking whoever had made it so that he was back here again, his gaze settled on Hermione herself. Even with those large front teeth and wild hair, he knew just how amazing and beautiful she would become. He watched her tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and stick out her tongue as she turned to the next page of "Hogwarts: A History". He chuckled to himself.

"Something funny?" Hermione said, raising her eyes from the page, a strange tint of hurt in her eyes.

"No, not all… well...nevermind." Harry replied.

"What is it?" she said, frowning. She obviously thought that even Harry Potter was going to bully her for what she saw as simply her love of learning. Thinking quickly, he said

"Just... your studying already? That's really impressive, I hope to God I can be that dedicated when we start classes."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, a smile creeping its way onto her face.

"Well, we could study together, you know… if you like?" she replied, her face once again taking on that wary expression.

"I'd like that." Harry replied, causing Hermione to beam at him and immediately hide herself behind her book. Seeing her neck flush a rosy tint Harry smiled himself, deliberately ignoring the pleading looks from Neville, sat next to him.

" _I will help him too"_ he thought " _but not yet, Hermione comes first"._

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"Firs' Years! Firs' Years over 'ere" shouted the big booming voice of Rubeus Hagrid. Harry, Hermione and Neville (now clutching Trevor) clambered off the train into the gloomy Hogsmeade station behind who he saw were Draco Malfoy and his cronies. Walking slowly behind them hoping to miss speaking with them for now, Harry admired fondly the old style station with its cobbled streets. It always felt like he had just stepped into Victorian Britain. Nevertheless Harry and the others followed Hagrid to clamber into the boats so they could get their first view of the castle, and as always, Hogwarts never failed to please.

As they clambered off the underground jetty into the entrance hall, Harry heard loud, high footsteps in front of him. He was delighted to see none other than Professor McGonagall, looking a lot less wizened than when Harry had her in the ruins of old Grimmauld Place. McGonagall led them off into an antechamber from the Great Hall, and after they had been lined up, a pale, blonde haired, sharp faced boy began to amble his way towards Harry.


	4. Deeper and Deeper

**DISCLAIMER: Yes there is one. No, as much as I wish, I don't own Harry Potter**

 **Chapter 4: Digging a Deeper and Deeper Hole for Yourself Here, Potter**

It was at this point that Harry really had to stop himself and think. In their previous timeline, Harry's first conversation with Draco really hadn't gone well, and thus they had become lifelong enemies. Through the death of Dumbledore however, Draco had shown that he was not really that bad a person. He had been unable to kill his headmaster, and had even sort-of saved Harry's life at one point in the final battle. He was a little cowardly perhaps, but Harry's lack of action at the end of the previous timeline hadn't exactly been brave either. Sure, Draco had willingly taken the Dark Mark, but that was only because he had thought that's what a good Pureblood did. His indoctrination at the hands of his father had likely been the cause of the vast majority of his ideals, but perhaps this time round, this needn't be the case.

No, if Harry could have any input, he would keep Draco on his good side for as long as possible. It may even save Dumbledore's life in the future. Of course, perhaps the Dark Lord would find another of his minion's spawn to repair the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement. So when Draco Malfoy did amble over towards him, Harry stood firm, made solid eye contact with his old nemesis and even tried a small smile.

"So, I heard that Harry Potter himself was on the train this year, that would be you would it?" Draco drawled casually.

"Yes." Harry replied simply, offering his hand to be shook "Nice to meet you...Mr?"

"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. I must say Mr Potter you best be careful with who you associate with at this school. Placing yourself with riff-raff like the Weasleys won't exactly put you in good social standing. I can help you there" Draco said, grasping Harry's outstretched hand and shaking it as his eyes flashed over to the youngest Weasley, whose ears had turned scarlet. Taking a deep breath to carefully measure his response, Harry replied -

"Im still learning of who to associate with, Draco, it is our first day after all. I think actions speak louder than words, but if you would like to be my friend, I'm happy to be yours. Oh and call me Harry by the way." Harry smiled at the boy, who looked slightly surprised for a split-second, but responded in kind.

"Hmm, okay Harry" Draco said as Professor McGonagall entered the ante-chamber to tell her students that the rest of the school was ready for the Sorting. "Perhaps I'll see you in class."

"Of course."

Harry ignored the strange looks from Neville as the new students followed the Deputy Headmistress, crocodile fashion into the Great Hall.

Harry had already made his mind up when it was time for his sorting. He would again, ask the Hat for Gryffindor. His surname was after Hermione's alphabetically on McGonagall's list and with Ron inevitably also going into the same house, there was no way Harry could dare to leave the two alone together. He had in fact contemplated Ravenclaw. The house of the clever wasn't exactly reputed for being the friendliest even to their own members, so he might be able to train himself with a little more assurance of secrecy. But he couldn't do it. He needed to stay with Hermione.

When it was finally his turn, Harry walked calmly towards the tiny wooden stool that had been placed in front of all the students in the Great Hall. It was only when his behind touched the seat did Harry realise the Sorting Hat would be able to see everything in his mind. His breath hitched, but he couldn't think anything more as the Hat fell over his eyes and began to speak to his mind.

" _Well this is new, Mr Potter. Never in all my years."_

" _Please don't tell Dumbledore."_ Harry thought back. _"I need to go Gryffindor."_

" _Gryffindor? Why should I put you there? I am forbidden from discuss house placements with any headmaster, but never before have I seen such a blatant display of cowardice in the mind of a student than I can see in yours, Mr Potter. If you had only sacrificed yourself you would have saved millions of lives, you needn't even be sat here talking to me right now. But you couldn't. So... tell me, why oh why should I place YOU in the house of the brave? Perhaps Ravenclaw would be a better fit."_

But before Harry could even reply, the Hat continued.

" _Ahh I see. The Granger girl. The Sword, and the youngest Weasley. I must admit Mr Potter, this goes against everything I was created for. My magic is making me itchy just thinking about it and if you hadn't noticed I don't exactly have the tools to scratch it."_

" _Just...Please."_ Harry begged. He was glad the Hat covered his eyes or the whole school would see the tears that were threatening to begin a steady stream down his cheeks. He felt himself shaking as he tightly gripped the stool beneath, feet planted firmly on the stone floor.

" _I can't exactly go against The Council, Mr Potter, but I'm not happy about this. You had best prove yourself this time. GRYFFINDOR!"_

The Sorting Hat shouted his final words and Harry let out a sigh of relief as he went to sit at the Gryffindor table, asking Percy to budge up so he could sit next to Hermione. Who "The Council" was would have to wait. At least for now that ordeal was over.

Harry was finding it increasingly difficult to talk to his peers this time as they began the feast; fearing that he might reveal what he knew about them already. He knew it would be best to try and keep quiet and listen to Dean and Seamus talk about their heritage. Ron was wolfing down his food anyway, no surprise there then, and at least that meant that Harry wouldn't have to talk to him. As he made a start on his bangers and mash,finally beginning to feel himself settling down, Hermione began to talk to him.

"So, tell me about yourself Harry," she said, with a smile "I mean, I've read all about you in books and stuff, but that's all really factual, what did you do when you were growing up, what was your life like?"

As expected Hermione said all of this very fast, like somehow she couldn't manage to get her words from her mouth at a decent enough speed to get her new friend's response quickly enough.

Already trusting Hermione however, he said. "Hermione, I'll talk to you about this later. There are some things that I need you to know, but you don't know me yet, so let's find another more private place to talk about it in a few days because I don't really like talking about my past to other people. There will already be enough rumours about me flowing around the castle by now as it is. Just give me some time, but if there's anyone I might tell, it would be you."

Of course Hermione had no idea what Harry was talking about, and found herself not sure whether to smile or be concerned. But Harry was the first person that had openly tried to be her friend, which was a far cry from the incessant bullying that she had had to endure for her love of learning in her time at primary school.

"Oh… erm… okay then," she replied, turning her head away from him as she tried to stifle her confused blush as she wondered why the boy seemed to trust her so soon. _"What does he mean "You Don't Know Me"? The way he said it... well it was like he already knows who I am. But he's so nice"_ she thought, suddenly feeling quite wary of the boy.

Realising how what had said must have come across Harry opened his mouth to correct himself, but stopped. If he could get Hermione to fancy him this early before Ron really even liked her, it might stop a lot of future events from even happening. He didn't want to frighten her but at least seemed to like him a little already. He would definitely have to build on this, he thought. Loading his fork with another mouthful of the crisp, fat sausage, fluffy mash and smothering it all in onion gravy, Harry ate quietly as he surveyed the familiar surroundings.

Turning his head towards the staff table, he looked along the row of familiar faces to see Severus Snape staring straight at him with intense dislike. As their eyes locked, Harry felt an all too familiar prodding sensation in the forefront of his mind. Heart jumping into his throat, he slammed up his Occlumency shields as hard and as fast as he could. Relieved at the presence leaving his head instantly, he took a deep breath to calm himself before panic shot through him once more. Snape had leaned over very obviously and deliberately and stared straight into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore. He was obviously pushing the memory of Harry's impressive shields to the forefront of his mind for the Headmaster to read. A moment later, his suspicions were confirmed as Dumbledore turned his gaze towards the Gryffindor Table, right to where Harry was sitting. Turning away as quickly as possible, Harry stared at his plate, and began to eat as quickly as he could.

" _GREAT start, Potter."_ he thought sarcastically " _Day one and you've already ballsed it up"._

Clambering into his familiar bed in Gryffindor tower, and despite what had happened at the welcoming feast, Harry drifted into a very easy sleep after a very long day. In his dream that night, an older, bushy haired brunette witch had kissed him softly, while they lay on a blanket in the middle of beautiful, tranquil meadow.

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"Bloody Hell Harry put that thing away!" Harry heard Ron shout from the bed next to him. Blearily opening one eye to see what the matter was, and dearly wishing that he was still there, laying with Hermione in absolute bliss and peace, Harry scratched his head and sat up. Looking around the room, he saw Ron briskly cover his eyes by holding up a shirt in front of them, awkwardly trying to avert his gaze. Harry looked down, following where Ron's gaze had been. This definitely wasn't the way that Harry wanted to start his year at Hogwarts, with the whole common room staring at "him" first thing in the first morning. Twisting himself awkwardly in a desperate attempt to hide the burgeoning tentpole in his boxers, Harry scrambled about in his trunk for his uniform. He didn't remember this happening until he was at least 12, but if his brain was the same as it was at the end of the previous timeline, did that mean it was commanding the production of adult level hormones? He certainly hoped not. Slamming his curtains closed with a red face, he pulled on his robes and prayed to himself that he would at least get to his first class without any further embarrassment. Day two already didn't seem like it was going to go too well either.

A young Miss Granger could barely even look at him as they sat down next to each other in Professor Snape's first potions class of the year. She had been very distant with him at breakfast, but yet kept stealing glances at him all through it. Harry didn't know what it was but he found that his 11 year old body still found Hermione very attractive, even though he was much younger than he'd seen her previously. Just guessing it was his hormones or something, Harry smiled at her encouragingly, still amazed that he was able to do so. He still had so many more questions for Jeff, but it didn't seem like Harry would be hearing from him any time soon.

Professor Snape swept into his classroom, cloak billowing behind him as he moved behind his desk to glare at the congregation of new students. Harry saw Draco Malfoy sitting at the table to the right of him, glaring at Ron every minute or so at the table to Harry's left. It seemed that this time, Harry already something in common with the arrogant Slytherin.

"There will be no silly incantations or foolish wand-waving in this class." Professor Snape started, speaking in barely more than a whisper as the entire class hung on his every word.

"As such," he continued "I do not expect you to understand the subtle science and exact art that is potion making, in fact some of you will find difficulty in believing this is magic."

Snape continued on in this drawl but Harry had heard it all before. _"Bottle fame, brew glory blah blah blah"_ Harry thought, smirking. _"I know he's going to pick on me when he does the register in a minute anyway. This should be fun."_

Indeed, the greasy haired git did start the register, and just he had before, stopped when he got to Harry's name.

"Ah… Mr Potter." Snape sneered, tapping his fingers on the piece of parchment which held the register "Our new… celebrity."

Several of the Slytherins sniggered, but Harry was surprised to see that Draco wasn't one of them, choosing rather to give the Boy Who Lived a more measured, neutral look.

"Tell me Potter, what would you get if you added powered root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?" Snape asked, with a smirk. Harry wouldn't know the answer, of course.

"A very powerful sleeping potion called the Draught of Living Death, Sir" Harry said, feeling smug and obviously showing it on his face.

"Arrogant like your father are we? Fine then. Tell me, where would you expect to find a Bezoar?".

"In the stomach of a goat, it is a cure for common poisons."

"Indeed," said Snape, who was becoming increasingly annoyed with the fact that he was completely failing to show Harry up at all.

"Fine." He continued "Let's try one more, which common deceptive potion includes the ingredients: Lacewing Flies, Boomslang skin and Knotgrass?"

Snape sneered at him once more, obviously thinking he was triumphant in the fact that Harry couldn't possibly know the answer. Hermione was already beaming at Harry for knowing the previous two answers, but even she hadn't put her hand up for this question. The whole class was astonished when Harry did manage to say "Polyjuice Potion, Sir."

Harry even thought he saw a small smile on the face of the potions master as Snape concluded his impromptu quizzing:

"Good, Mr Potter. Most unexpected. Perhaps you are more like your mother than I first thought. Three points for Gryffindor."

"Thankyou, Sir." replied Harry, pleased at the positive start with the professor whom Harry reluctantly respected perhaps most of all. Despite his past actions in his relaying of the first half of the prophecy to Voldemort, and in no small part thanks to his memories in the previous timeline. Harry felt he may be able to trust Snape this time around. As far as that trust went remained to be seen.

Fifteen minutes later, after a thorough lecture on safety from the bat-like Professor, the first year class began work on their first potion: the Wiggenweld Potion. It was a simple mixture, requiring a fair amount of pre-prepared ingredients that were strongly varied in appearance, and required a low-heat, clockwise brewing technique. Overall, the potion was obviously aimed at teaching the class basic brewing and what the most common potions materials looked like.

Harry and Hermione of course worked very well together, being so impressed with Harry's display of potions knowledge, she somehow had managed to put aside how self-conscious she felt around him. She didn't know why, but she felt strangely drawn to him, but put it down to Harry obviously being a kindred spirit, with as strong a thirst for knowledge as she had.

Ron and Neville didn't fare quite so well. With Mint Leaves and Chizpurfle Fangs strewn across their table, the two young Gryffindors were already bickering. Within minutes they had lost their house more than triple the amount of points that Harry had won, due to the stupid decision Ron had made to dump a whole jar of Flobberworm Mucus into their cauldron at once. The cauldron had released a huge puff of foul-smelling purple gas, which was obviously noticed immediately by their Potions master.

"That will be ten points from Gryffindor, misters Weasley and Longbottom, for a blatant display of a lack of heeding the very safety lecture I gave you not fifteen minutes ago!"

Hermione looked at the pair with a frown as she stirred the cauldron in front of Harry and herself. Thinking that perhaps she should help them, and maybe be able to earn back a few of those house points, she leaned over towards the struggling pair at the bench next to her and said.

"You only need to put in two drops of the mucus, guys. I can show you how to -"

"We can do it ourselves, Granger," Ron spat back at her, ignoring the looks from the rest of the class "The stuff's already in there anyway. For such an obvious know it all you really can be stupid."

Feeling Hermione stiffen next him and seeing her lip start to quiver and her eyes beginning to fill, Harry didn't even stop to think. Drawing his wand under the table, he cast a wordless Uncontrollable Itching jinx at Ron, a pale yellow shot of magic quickly shooting from his wand and making contact with his calf. Immediately Ron began scratching, and he only lasted about 10 seconds before he gathered his things and bolted from dungeon classroom. Pleased that he'd gotten away with it, and glad to see the smile that had blossomed on the face of his best friend, Harry smiled back at Hermione as they calmly begin to finish their potion.

Now, Hermione couldn't take her eyes off her new, first and best friend after that. She'd seen what Harry had done for her. Had she finally found her intellectual equal?

 _"He's pretty handsome looking as well."_ she thought, feeling an unfamiliar sensation in the pit of her stomach.

But she wasn't the only one who had seen Harry's efforts. It was Severus Snape that remained quiet as the class finished their potions and handed over their vials for marking. Two days, and two unusually strong displays of magic from the Potter boy, not to mention his clearly well practiced potions knowledge. This would bear some thinking. Perhaps he ought to pay Albus a visit.


	5. Convictions and Confessions

**I don't own anything to do with HP, I just love playing around with the characters, as do many of you perusing this fine website. Inevitable disclaimer is inevitable. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please R &R!**

 **Chapter 5 - Convictions and Confessions**

"Right then, everybody please stand to the left side of your broom, hold your right hand steady over it, and command it forth, with the word... ' _up!'_ " said the sharp faced Madam Hooch, barking to the first year Gryffindor and Slytherin students. It was the first flying lesson of the year, and Harry had been up all night contemplating how the confrontation between himself, Draco and Neville would pan out this time. Since his relationship in the timeline with Draco was a civil one thus far, Harry wondered how the situation would play out. Neville, as bumbling and seemingly clumsy as ever had drawn the attention and ridicule of Slytherin house almost immediately on coming to Hogwarts. It wasn't just that he struggled to manage even the simplest of spells, but his unwavering disorganisation and forgetfulness caused more or less relentless jeering and catcalling whenever the boy was outside the Gryffindor common room. Harry couldn't count the number of times that Neville had needed to ask him, Hermione or a Professor for a quill, to borrow a book or any other number of pieces of magical equipment often needed for the first year classes.

Harry could see that Neville was struggling, but without letting Neville break his wrist and Draco take Neville's remembrall Harry had no idea how he'd manage to still get on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. With Neville's remembrall arriving via the post that morning, everything seemed to still be happening exactly as it had before.

The battered old school broomstick shot into Harry's hand, but rather than feeling his usual elation at his effortless command of the Comet Two-Sixty, Harry's stomach was in knots, filled with guilt at the neglect he was about to show for one of his closest friends.. After noticing that Draco's broom moved as sharply also, the blond-haired boy that stood opposite him in the Slytherin line gave a satisfied smirk. Harry thought this clearly showed the relationship he would have with Draco would be a competitive one, but he didn't want to move from "acquaintance" to "nemesis quite so soon.

Madam Hooch corrected Draco's grip just has she had before, gaining a scowl from the boy, and when the Professor told Harry that his grip was in fact perfect, Harry saw Draco's face flood with jealousy. It seemed Harry just couldn't stop the bias of being "Saint Potter" blossoming his Draco's thoughts.

Neville, on the other hand, was having no end of problems with his broom. He had needed to scramble across the ground for his ancient enchanted bundle of twigs when it point-blank refused to come up to him upon his command. Harry knew that Neville desperately wanted to keep his feet firmly placed on the ground, and it seemed that the ragged and splintering old broomstick did too.

Yet as it had once before, when Madam Hooch asked them to mount their brooms to hover for a moment, the podgy, nervous Gryffindor shot off into the sky, screaming himself hoarse. Round and around he whirled, creating what looked like an incredible acrobatic display to the students and Madam Hooch on the ground. He even performed what looked like a perfect Wronski Feint, just cutting up from the floor after a steep dive, twisting upwards and shooting off into the air again. They only found that it was all accidental, however when he crashed hard into a very old looking horse-chestnut tree on the outskirts of the bordered green area they were practicing on. Neville tumbled through the tree, hitting several of the tree's gnarled branches on the way down, which cracked loudly, pelting Neville with spiky green conker shells as he hit the earth with a thud.

Blowing her whistle hard and shouting "Out of my way, out of my way!" Madam Hooch raced over to where Neville lay shivering and crying on the ground. As she gingerly peeled back the sleep of his arm, she couldn't help but gasp a little a pouring of blood as she revealed the protuding, bleeding bone sticking awkwardly out of Neville's arm.

"Oh dear, oh dear, Neville, let's get you to the hospital wing right away! Madam Pomfrey will be able to patch you up. It's alright my boy, its alright." she said kindly, slowly helped Neville from the floor and started to guide him back towards the castle. As the other students started muttering among each other excitedly, they heard Hooch shout behind her, wildly. "When I get back, anyone that I see on their brooms will find themselves out of this school before you can say Quidditch."

This seemed to have an effect for most of the students to want to stay firmly out of the air, but nonetheless, seeing the Remembrall glittering in the sun, Draco Malfoy sauntered over to it and picked it up. Smirking towards his fellow Slytherins he said "That fat lump, look what he's dropped. Maybe if he had given this a squeeze, he'd have remembered to fall on his arse and not stop _us_ from flying."

This earned him a few titters from the Slytherins, but gasps from the Gryffindors, who glared at him. Harry caught the eye of Ron, who immediately draw his wand and tried to cast at Draco, but before he could even utter an incantation was immediately seized around either armpit by Crabbe and Goyle. Ron thrashed about, shouting "Get Orrrrf!" as he struggled in vain to release himself from their grip. Meanwhile, Draco smirked, dropped his broom, and walked slowly over to Ron, lightly tossing and catching the tiny glass remembrall, not noticing the smoke alternately flashing from white, to scarlet.

This was already new ground to Harry, these events not having happened the last time around, and Harry panicked. He needed a way onto the team if he was going to try to live his life as closely as possible to his previous one, but all seemed lost. There was no way McGonagall was going to spy him making his first catch now! Scowling, the Boy Who Lived stuck out his wand and said " _Accio Remembrall_ ", causing the tiny glass ball to shoot smoothly into his hand. His fellow Gryffindors stared at him in shock and wonderment, but this just served to make Draco angry, who immediately rounded on our him.

"What are you doing?" he shouted at Harry indignantly, "I was going to teach that squib a lesson, but it seems I ought to be teaching you one. Harry Potter, apparently the wannabe hero, friend of Squibs, Half-Breeds and Mudbloods alike."

The Gryffindors and Slytherins gasped in shock, both sets of housemates eagerly watching the confrontation, both in furious agreement of their house's side. Hermione froze as Draco raised his hand, and Crabbe and Goyle dropped Ron roughly to the ground..

"Is he talking about me? The mudblood?" Harry heard her whisper to Parvati behind her.

Harry felt his face flush with anger, and fought with himself to calm down, but the years upon years of abuse, and discrimination towards Harry and his friends echoed in his mind as he saw the years forming in Hermione's eyes. Eleven or not, no one spoke to her like that, no one made _her_ feel that.

"Call me what you like." Harry said through clenched teeth, "But say nothing about my fellow Gryffindors, and certainly not to my Hermione."

Draco was about to say something about Harry having a mudblood as a girlfriend, but was interrupted by a scream as Crabbe and Goyle roughly grabbed Hermione by the shoulders, and using their free hands mounted their brooms and kicked off hard into the air. They must have been 20 ft from the ground when they decided to let go of her, not even pausing for effect.

The crowd screamed once again, but this time, Harry was there in an instant. He hadn't stopped to think as he kicked the Comet off into the air, and swung in a graceful upwards arc towards Hermione. Faster and faster he willed the broom as he shot towards her as time seemed to slow down around him. He felt the cold air sting his eyes into tears as he tore through air, before swiping out a hand to catch Hermione deftly by the scruff of her blouse. Swinging her up and around to face him, Harry felt Hermione grip him tightly and he felt his heart begin to finally drop from his throat.

Harry led the two of them gently to earth, and as soon as he stepped from the broom, he drew his wand and widened his stance, turning to face both Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. They were stood in direct sunlight, and while Harry and Hermione had landed in the shade of the setting October sun.

"I...I didn't tell them to do that." Draco whispered backing into the group of Slytherins who instinctively surrounded him to protect one of their own. Harry could feel himself shaking, his breaths coming ragged, not through exhaustion, but through fury. His silhouette cut an intimidating figure, even for an eleven year old as the he stepped from the shadow into the low sunlight.

Still egging each other on and giggling between themselves at the actions of their own twisted camaraderie, both Crabbe and Goyle didn't have time to see the two bolts of red light stream towards them, instantly knocking them unconscious.

Harry was seething. He didn't care for the blatant display of 5th year magic. All he could think of was that they could have killed her. Not only would the future love of his life be gone, but his whole reason for being sent back in the first place.

Still shocked with wonderment at Harry's display of power, the Gryffindors all nodded vacantly. Hermione herself was especially vacant. "He called me his! He wanted to protect me?" she thought. Thoughts of her schoolboy crush raced around her mind as she walked towards Harry.

It wasn't long before Madam Hooch came back, and she would have none of what Draco was saying. In fact, when the pale faced Slytherin had asked his housemates to back him up, none of them had any recollection of what had happened. They weren't going to admit that a member of their own house had nearly killed another student. While they were definitely ashamed of him, problems were sorted within Slytherin house. This earned Draco twenty points from Slytherin, and more if he carried on "lying." A look and a smile from Harry had placated the Gryffindors, but he knew he would have to explain himself in the common room that evening.

Unfortunately however, Harry was teamed up with Draco for the rest of the session. Madam Hooch said they were selected to demonstrate how best to throw the Quaffle between two players. Trying to throw harder and harder balls for each other, Harry began to throw quite a few shots that were still fair, but at a speed that Draco just couldn't catch them. Getting more and more frustrated by the second, he threw the Quaffle high in the air far behind Harry; there would have been no way that he could catch that, surely. But catch it he did, as Harry managed to pull a huge backwards loop in the air before stretching his hand out to grasp firmly around one side of the blood red ball. Draco, of course was livid when even some his own house clapped at the impressive display of flying, but he knew that he could do nothing to Harry while Madam Hooch was there.

As the still shaken, adrenaline fuelled class were told to make their way back towards to Entrance Hall, Harry fell into step with Hermione and their Professor.

"Harry, I appreciate that its highly unconventional," said Madam Hooch with a smile "But I'd like for you to try out for the Gryffindor team this year, they need a seeker and I believe you just might be the one for it."

Harry insides leapt. Finally he had gotten a chance to be back on the Gryffindor Quidditch team again. He hadn't been able to play the game in years, and hopefully this time he would win the first game by catching it well, and not nearly swallowing it.

Draco's face was a picture. The moment that he opened his mouth the Gryffindors smiled as they knew that he would receive detention. They didn't even have to listen to all the insults that he was giving Harry as they finished their walk back to the castle. As unusual as things had been for Harry today, things were definitely on the up,somehow. He just needed to try and stop things from going off the rails. Easy right?

* * *

Late into the evening of October the thirtieth, Harry once again found himself sat in the library with Hermione, this time trying half-heartedly to complete his most recent transfiguration assignment from Professor McGonagall. It just wasn't interesting to him given that he had already been through these classes. First year classes now seemed so basic that while he definitely enjoyed helping Hermione as best he could, he was finding this year's work and subsequent assignments especially tedious. He knew that he could easily achieve full marks for the 6 inches of parchment on the first law of composite-to-elemental transfiguration, but showing anymore of his true intellect would surely rouse suspicion, not to mention perhaps take away Hermione's top-of-the-class spot that she was so eager to maintain. He had only just managed to get the Gryffindors to believe him when he said that his retaliation on Crabbe and Goyle had been accidental magic, but he knew it would be a nightmare to to explain his true past to Dumbledore, and he wasn't even sure whether he felt ready to tell Hermione about it yet. How would he know when she would be able to handle it? She was only 12 after all.

Perched at one of the old workbenches next to the transfiguration section, Harry threw his eagle feathered quill onto the table in disgust. He really couldn't be bothered to scribble down one more word tonight, let alone finish the work. Ignoring Hermione's famous disapproving look one eyebrow raised and head tilted towards him, the raven-haired boy sat back in his chair and sighed comfortably as he relaxed.

"You realise this has to be in first thing tomorrow don't you?" Hermione declared.

"No Hermione, last week's transfiguration assignment is in tomorrow, you know the one that we did at this time last week?" Harry replied, smiling at her, wishing she knew how he felt.

Harry mused it had been a wonder that he'd not been so distracted by her to be able to learn any magic at all. She had always stood by him though, and he knew she never let him down, and nor would he. "Besides, I've done this all before anyway." Harry sat stunned and realised what he had just said. He'd been too distracted. Praying that Hermione wouldn't notice, he looked back down at his parchment and picked his quill up to write, however it was in vain.

"What do you mean?" Hermione questioned, frowning at him. Damn. Well, there was no use for it, she'd never let this go and she always knew when he was lying.

"Erm, Hermione… I didn't mean to tell you this yet…but" Harry stuttered his words out as the bushy-haired brunette looked at him blankly. Frowning and only knowing she had absolutely no clue what was going on, she stared intently at him, angling herself at her seat towards him. Somehow, she knew that this must be important. Having spent all this time with the seemingly exceedingly intelligent, way better than the books Harry Potter, she had developed a crush on him and had made it her business to know every single thing about him, after all, she had never had a friend before, and such a great one at that. It seemed like the guy that she wanted might be going to open up to her, and if this meant she found out his secret, she was all the more eager for it.

"Yes," Hermione replied, all her recent thoughts having replayed themselves again at lightning speed through her mind while time as they sat in the near silence, the only noise coming from the flickering torches on the wall illuminating which crackled gently as they illuminated the room. With eager eyes, she waited for the Boy-Who-Lived to continue.

"I'm not from this life…" Harry started whispering, struggling to find the words "I'm kinda from the future?" He groaned, mentally slapping himself from starting the conversation in such an unbelievable, ridiculous way. "Ridiculous subject though" he thought, trying to egg himself on into continuing in not so stupid-sounding a way

Hermione didn't know what to say but she definitely wasn't expecting this, Of course there was no way she could believe him, but somehow she could tell that he definitely wasn't lying either. She eyed him incredulously as he raised his hand so she wouldn't interrupt him.

Harry continued, "I'm from a time after the second coming of Voldemort, a second war, where everyone died. You and Ron Weasley were my best friends in the whole world. We'd grown up together, done everything together, even fallen in…- well I couldn't save you, I couldn't save anyone. The reason I'm so clever at these things is that I've already been through Hogwarts once before and learned all of this… and in fourth year he will return just like last time and last time I couldn't leave you but then he betrayed us and you were gone and well I … well I jumped off the top of the astronomy tower, in the end." he had to stop himself for a moment due to the growing lump in his throat before continuing on with his rambling tale "I couldn't cope with my failure, I couldn't beat him, and when I died I landed in this office and a man sent me back here to start again. There's a bit more information that I dont know if I should tell you yet but I will when you're ready as it concerns you. We cant talk here really, anyway. At least old Madame Pince will think im nuts if she overheard anything. I realise I'm rambling massively here anyway, soon we can go to private location and I'll try to tell you everything."

Harry finished and sat patiently running his fingertips over the table, feeling the grooves and knots of the wood as he internally berated himself for opening up to her quite so soon. There was no way he handled that well.

Hermione sat silently staring ahead into nothingness not knowing what to say or think. At least it had answered the question as to why Harry had been doing so well in his classes, but to the brunette it gave her a million other questions that she wanted answering, her inquisitive mind not wanting to let this one go one iota. It seemed so incredibly ridiculous to her that it could be absolutely nothing but the truth surely, but still...

"So, say I wanted to believe you, and Im certainly not saying I do, what are you going to this time?" she blurted out towards Harry, eager to find out any further information.

Somehow, she didn't feel like she had a crush on him anymore, wouldn't the going back in time make him like 18?" She cringed at the thought and found she felt torn, wanting to run away from Harry and disbelieve everything, but she reminded herself of the blatant power she'd witnessed Harry display that same month. He was the same Harry that not only was her first friend and crush, but seemed to be telling the truth. Or what he believed the truth was, anyway.

"I knew how to defeat him and still do, I just didn't have the time last time, everything moved so fast, and before I knew it, Hogwarts had been taken over by Death Eaters, erm they're Voldemort's followers" Hermione nodded, "Anyway, you and Ron had been taken by some Snatchers after one fight that you had had outside wards of our tent and I was on my own, I couldn't do anything."

"But how did you jump from the astronomy tower if Hogwarts was taken over by Death Eaters?"

"I battled my way up there, didn't I?" he continued "I knew that if I was going out I was going to take as many of them with me as I could.

Hermione Granger just couldn't take anymore, this was unbelievable information overload. "I'm sorry Harry, but this is too much to take in. Even though I can usually tell when you're telling me the truth, and I can see when you are, I just don't know how I can believe you, I mean I've only known you for a month."

Harry sighed and looked sadly downwards at the curling parchment on the desk. He'd worried so much that telling Hermione early would ruin everything. She was bound to think he was absolute nutter. But, it was Halloween tomorrow, the anniversary of his parents death, and a date that always produced significant memories at Hogwarts, especially for Harry. An idea popped into his head.

"Okay Hermione, just wait and see, to prove myself I will tell you tomorrow's future, does that sound reasonable?"

Thinking about this for a moment, she agreed. "Oh, okay," she said "But it has to be out of the ordinary. No obvious predictions like "Fred and George will take the mickey out of Percy at breakfast or something"".

"Oh this will be," Harry replied "Tomorrow at the Halloween feast, after charms, we will be learning Wingardium Leviosa by the way, Professor Quirrell will storm in, declare that there is a troll in the dungeons, and then immediately, and incredible ridiculous will fake fainting and pass out."

"Okay, say I humour you, and this is the real thing, the truth, why would Quirrell fakely pass out anyway?"

"Wait and see," Harry replied. "I have a plan."


End file.
